building a ‘dog pond’ – day #1

All of my garden and home projects start off with a little idea, mostly on a whim, and when I have time on my hands. Time can be an extra five or ten minutes, but give me hours and things really get changed up.

I never put a time limit on a project, I just want to see my ‘vision’ take shape, and happen. Our gardens change yearly, I have my garden bed that has my ‘mother plants’, I split and seed collect from those plants and have for eleven years. All of the other beds come and go depending on what looks interesting to me. Take this weekend for example.

“Do you want more coffee Nance?

Yes thanks, so I am digging a hole in the front yard, the dogs need a pond.

So how much coffee did you already drink?

Not enough thanks, and I looked on line for a bio falls so we can have a small water fall too. Nothing big this year.

So are you doing this by yourself?

Well the plants are moved, and Ocean has already started to dig, lets just go with that shape, do you know anything about pond pumps because I sure as hell don’t, and that is kind of a big part of it.

Um, we have other house projects that need to be finished first?

No, get your gloves and the wheel barrel, let’s dig. Actually the kids, Ocean and I will dig, you take the dirt to the compost pile. I think the dogs and kids really need a pond, don’t you?”

We have no master plan, nothing drawn on paper, and are new to the pond element thing. But we had SO MUCH FUN yesterday digging and learning. We decided to start small this year, get a feel for it, and leave room to expand next year if we like it.

This will be a more ‘naturalized’ splash pool, with a water fall. Actually, the term we learned yesterday is, “pondless waterfall’, no depth really and just gently moving water. Cool beans, this is what I want! Not too deep, no fish, no water plants, just dog/kid cooling off fun, and hopefully beautiful!

We watched about 15 videos, and investigated just as many pond materials sites. We are getting a better feel for the rocks we want to use, water flow, and depth.

Pond supplies ordered this morning. Rocks will be ordered tomorrow.

So our start! Day #1

the start. Ocean is my garden digger so this was a grat obvious job for her.

Look at the muscles on this Gran Dame!

How Deep?

more digging fun!

and more!

$eeker tends the wheel barrell, always. He is not a digger.

Story got into it and was like a back hoe! This guy can make dirt fly!

and more!

Story was pretty proud of his work!

the rough shape and almost depth we are going for

Ocean is SO EXCITED by this project, it is what she needed!

cooling off in her splash pool. She worked almost 3 hours straight!

$eeker checking in on the ‘Dig Master’

The Boyz want to know if Ocean will ever stop digging, it is time for a run! Make her stop!

I love how you just had a hole, and you worked with it! I know Julio gets mad when I do this… I usually get the same response. But once I’m on to something, good luck stopping me 😛 I’m really excited to see your pond! I know the dogs will love it. Yuki is a little jealous she doesn’t have a pond in her tiny back yard! 😀

Too bad I can’t lend you my two dogs. They are awesome diggers, and they could help you get that pond area dug in no time flat! Sounds like you are all doing the most important thing. Having fun with it all!

LOL I am so glad JT no long feels the need to DIG she used to at the beach when she was a pup but with needles, glass and metal just beneath the surface we got her to run and play A LOT while we walked the coast with her 🙂 Now at 7 she chases her flying object or plays with a large ball like a pup would and rests her aching body like her Momma 🙂

could I borrow Ocean for a while??? I bought a ton of bushes at the end of season blow-out sale at the nursery that need to be planted and with bad back issues, not easy for me to run a shovel 🙂 Looks to me like she could help and have it ready in no time 🙂